This is a tragic ongoing story, of albinos being targeted for their body parts, which are sold to be used in potions made by witch doctors who claim they bring wealth and good luck.

And now they are trying to 'register' albinos in order to protect them.

Quote:Malawi Police say they are registering all persons with albinism across the country in a bid to protect them.

According to police spokesperson at the National Police Headquarters Nicholas Gondwa said the process of registration of the people with albinism is going on well.

“We are yet to finish the registration exercise. As you might be aware this was ordered by our commander in chief His Excellency the President,” he said.

Gondwa said this means the police will now be using community policing structures to protect people with albinism.

The registration comes at a time President Peter Mutharika ordered the Inspector General of Police go for an education tour in Rwanda and Tanzania to learn how the authorities in the two countries dealt with the abductions and killings of people with albinism.

So far 38 people with albinism have been killed so far for their body parts.

The albino attacks is fuelled by witchcraft and locals are swayed by promises of large sums of money. In many cases a relative has been involved.

“Some parents or relatives don’t really value a child with albinism. They get tempted by the offer of money,” says Bonface Massah, head of the Association of People with Albinism in Malawi.

Quote:Over the past year and a half, a disturbing and violent trend has been growing in Malawi, a country often known by its nickname: "The Warm Heart of Africa."
At least 18 people with albinism, a congenital condition resulting in a lack of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes, have been murdered, and many others have been raped or harassed. Four of the murders happened in April alone, and five more albinos have been abducted and are still missing.

A new report from Amnesty International accuses Malawian police of failing to protect the albino population, and the Malawian government of failing to educate its citizens about albinism's natural causes.

Albinism is more common in sub-Saharan Africa than elsewhere in the world. Superstitions about the condition are rife, especially in Malawi and neighboring Tanzania and Mozambique.

Some believe that having sex with an albino woman can cure HIV, which puts albino women at particular risk for rape. Others believe that the bones of albino people contain gold, or have medicinal or even magical properties. That demand, stemming from a ritual medicine revival in Malawi, is fueling the spate of murders by gangs that, allegedly, can make as much as $75,000 selling a "full set" of albino body parts, according to the International Federation of the Red Cross.

"Their bones are believed to be sold to practitioners of traditional medicine in Malawi and Mozambique for use in charms and magical potions in the belief that they bring wealth and good luck," Amnesty said. "The macabre trade is also fueled by a belief that bones of people with albinism contain gold."

And a Mother's story of one of her son's being snatched from her grip

Quote:Cedrick, the mother of the murdered boy, recounted his abduction to The Associated Press last month while holding the murdered boy's surviving twin brother, who also has albinism. In the middle of the night, she said, she woke to the sound of people kicking down the door of the house. Her husband was away.

"Before I could understand what was happening, they sliced the mosquito net and grabbed one of the twins," the 26-year-old said, tears in her eyes. "I held on to him by holding his waist, at the same time shielding the other with my back."

When they could not overpower her, one assailant hacked her in the forehead with a machete, she said. "This dazed me, and I lost hold of my son and he was gone. I shouted for help, but when my relatives rushed to our house, they were gone."

The boy's twin keeps asking where his brother is, she said. She lies, saying he will return.

On the same day of the interview, a deadly attack was carried out in another part of Malawi on 38 year-old Fletcher Masina, an albino father of four. When his body was found, the limbs were missing.

Quote:Elissa Montanti, founder and director of the Global Medical Relief Fund (GMRF), was moved by the plight of children living with amputated limbs and decided to bring five of them to live with her in Staten Island, New York while they received free surgery and prostheses at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia.

Kudos to the people who helped these young kids.

Sadly, there are dozens still left with amputated limbs.

Hopefully, one day this will stop and Albinos will not have to live in fear there.

2019, a while since the last article posted here. Still, the United Nations know it's still going
on, so that's something I suppose.

Quote:Children have tongues removed in 'witchcraft killings' in Tanzania

The children had their ears, tongues and sexual organs removed, with the murders linked
to "superstition", according to reports.

'As many as 10 children have been abducted and murdered this month in Tanzania in killingsbelieved to be linked to witchcraft rituals. The remains of four youngsters have been found inrecent days near bushes with some of their body parts missing.

Children aged between two and 10 had their ears, tongues and sexual organs removed, withthe murders linked to "superstition", according to reports. The United Nations has condemnedthe "brutal" murders in the southern Njombe region as police hunt those responsible.

Albinos, who lack pigment in skin, eyes and hair, are among groups targeted by perpetratorswho kill them or chop off their limbs. Their body parts are used as charms and magical potionsin the belief that they bring wealth and good luck.

"Our preliminary investigations have established that these incidents are caused by superstitiousbeliefs," home affairs minister Kangi Lugola told parliament.He did not say whether the missing children were albinos.

But he added: "We have already identified some of the suspects and we will soon take action againstthem." Women with red eyes are also vulnerable to attack. They are often accused of being witches andare killed in farming and fishing communities along the shores of Lake Victoria...'